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If a natural disaster were to hit your area, would you know what to do? Would you have an emergency pack ready to go? For that matter, what would be in your emergency pack? Off the top of our heads, we usually think of things like food items, flashlights, batteries, etc. But do we always know what to pack for an emergency? I will admit, packing for an emergency or natural disaster is not something that I’m fully prepared for. Sure, we try to make sure that our house is stocked with a few staple items in case the power goes out or if we get snowed in. But, beyond that, we need to prepare better. Now, I’m not talking about prepping but we’ll get into that as well just not in this post.

Are you prepared for an emergency or natural disaster? Here are a few helpful tips and a free printable checklist for what to pack in an emergency.

When we talk about being prepared for an emergency, whether we need to evacuate our homes or live without our usual comforts, we often think first of water and food. These items are considered our immediate needs, rightfully so, as humans can only survive several days without food and water.

However, there are times when an emergency situation lasts longer than several days. In those instances, other survival skills and items come into play which are just as important. Here are some things to keep in mind when making your emergency preparations.

Shelter

Shelter is one of the basic needs and therefore should be at the top of your list for non-food items. Without knowing what type of disaster may occur, it’s difficult to gauge exactly what you will need for shelter. But, having the supplies you will need to create a makeshift shelter is your best bet. You will want tarps, ropes, nails, hammer, and a hatchet or handsaw at minimum to build a simple shelter. If your budget and space allows, you may want to purchase a couple simple pop-up tents. These are ideal in the case of evacuation because they are lightweight, portable and easy to put up quickly.

Tools

Everyone uses tools every day to make their lives easier. When a disaster strikes, knowing you have these tools handy not only will make your life easier, but your life may depend on them. Functioning during a disaster will be hard enough, so make sure you have the tools you need. This is a basic list of what you should keep on hand at all times:

Work gloves
Hatchet or ax
Handsaw
Hammer
Crow bar
Shovel
Sharp knives
Pliers
Wrench

These tools are fairly easy to store, but you may like to look into buying lightweight, portable, multi-use tools, especially if you will need to evacuate and travel any distance.

Water Filtration & Storage System

You have already packed water for your family, so why bother with a filtration system? Because, there is a chance that the water will run out. Set up a water filtration system of some sort to ensure you have a supply of water available. This doesn’t have to be a state of the art system, although having a water filtering system is definitely a plus. You will need a large pot for boiling water and something to gather water with, either rainwater or the lake, river, stream, or pond. All water, even water that is being filtered, should be boiled first if possible. Then you will need something clean to store the filtered water in. Just this one emergency supply kit could save a great deal of trouble.

Personal Care Products

When a disaster strikes, we often long for the little comforts we didn’t realize were so important to us. Along with the necessities like water, food, and shelter, there are items that help us function better because we feel better. Here’s a short list of personal care items you will want to stock up on:

Toilet paper
Soap
Toothbrushes
Toothpaste
Floss
Lotion
Shampoo
Hairbrushes and combs
Hair clips and bands
Sunscreen
Feminine products
Nail clippers

These items may be overlooked when stocking up for a long term emergency. We sometimes forget about these ‘luxuries’ because they have become so commonplace in our ordinary life. But, an emergency situation means nothing is ordinary. Having these products on hand can make a difficult time a little bit easier, or, at the very least, more comfortable.

And don’t forget things like flashlights, batteries, and things of that nature.

Want some help remembering what to pack? I’ve created a printable checklist for you, just in case. Hopefully you won’t need to use the items in your emergency pack, but if you should find yourself in this situation- at least you’ll be prepared. Here’s the preview of the checklist:

emergency preparedness checklist printable

>>Download What To Pack for an Emergency Printable <<<

Simply right click and save as to get your copy.

Would you be prepared if an emergency happened?

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Kori

Digital Product Creator at Kori at Home
Kori is a late diagnosed autistic/ADHD mom. She is currently located in Albany, NY where she is raising a neurodiverse family. Her older daughter is non-speaking autistic (and also has ADHD and Anxiety) and her youngest daughter is HSP/Gifted. A blogger, podcaster, writer, product creator, and coach; Kori shares autism family life- the highs, lows, messy, and real. Kori brings her own life experiences as an autistic woman combined with her adventures in momming to bring you the day-to-day of her life at home. Kori is on a mission to empower moms of autistic children to make informed parenting decisions with confidence and conviction.

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